Darkness Falls, Insanity Calls
by Dark Glass Marionette
Summary: "I didn't know how much I had left till I cracked: I doubted I would survive." Daniel-centric.


**Author's Note:** Yay, another category where I can write! I'm fairly new to Amnesia, but that didn't stop me from pulling this little oneshot out of my sleeve. Obviously a Daniel-centric as he ventures through the halls and dark rooms of Brennenburg... because my God, it IS short. Anyway, I'm focusing more on the feeling rather than on the length of this piece, which is why I tried to write like Daniel did on his diary entries. I hope you guys enjoy it; there will be more like this coming.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Amnesia: The Dark Descent or any of its characters, they all belong to Frictional Games.**

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The darkness was… maddening.

I looked back and forth, feeling unprotected even under the warm light of the lantern. I could barely see around me; it was asphyxiating. I couldn't move, I couldn't breathe, cold chills running down my spine. My body was clammy with sweat under my clothes; I had lost count of the many times I'd been forced to run away from peril despite my body's protests. Whenever a cold gust of air went past me, I felt as if dozens- no, hundreds of tongues were licking at my skin. I didn't know how much I had left till I cracked: I doubted I would survive. There was not a single soul amidst the encroaching blackness; if there was something I hated, it was being alone in the dark. The silence was playing me for a fool, tricking me into believing what I shouldn't… and unfortunately, also vice-versa.

I gave a step forward, hesitant. The wooden floor creaked under my dressing shoes, the creaking echoed throughout the blackness. It was unnerving. I had the constant feeling I was being followed… It wouldn't have surprised me, really; I've already seen some of those… things lurking around the castle. As I walked, I failed to notice something: a sound coming from ahead. When I did hear it, I froze in my place and stared onward: the echo had returned. My hands were shaking, I had started sweating again and my knees felt like butter. I had nothing to defend myself in case danger lurked close! But it was no time to chastise myself: I could hear the steps getting closer, and one of those gusts of air I hated so much grazed and hurt the skin of my neck. The flame of my lantern flickered, so did my heart.

I reached over to my hip, touched the cool glass of the bottle of oil I had hung from my belt. Luckily, it was still there. The wood was creaking above and below me; I didn't know in which direction peril was coming. My will was weakening, but I nevertheless ventured onwards as silently as I could, taking a long breath with each step and releasing it with every two. I was oblivious to what I was doing: on one hand, I couldn't go back since the door was blocked with debris; on the other, I was heading straight towards danger for sure! Perhaps I had fallen into madness sooner than expected, perhaps it was just instinctive. Whatever the case, I had the undeniable certainty I was going to die. Without any common sense, I continued walking. If I had had my forehead deprived of skin, I would've been sweating blood.

Then, all of a sudden, something slapped my hand. In pain, I clutched it against my chest… mere seconds before realizing I had dropped the lantern. I tried to catch it; I failed: the lantern hit the wooden floor with a very loud noise, the oil spilled over the floor. It caught fire almost instantly. The flames seemed to reach up to me with unimaginable strength and vigour, almost like the Shadow which so vehemently was on my trail. I broke into a run, terrified once more, down the hall before me. Danger ahead or not, I wanted to leave and save my life. My loud footsteps muted my frantic breaths, leaving me unaware of all happening around me, so much that I tripped over my own foot. With a yelp, I fell with a loud thud, scraping my hands with the gravel and small stones that lay scattered around me.

I barely registered any other sounds; I had gone deaf to my surroundings. I lifted myself onto all fours, panting and gasping for air and feeling my heart pick up even more speed; I thought it'd burst out of my chest. But no matter how much air I breathed in, I was suffocating, hyperventilating, as anxiety started getting the best of me. Panic and tremors were racking my form. I was in the dark, the lantern gone; I was cold and tired and aching. I just wished to lie down and get as much rest as humanly possible, but no: with the Shadow hunting me, that was a fantasy and a luxury I couldn't afford. And even if I could rest, I knew my nightmares would haunt me… and they would be worse than ever before.

I broke down. My vision blurred as my eyes filled up with tears and my shoulders convulsed in despaired sobs. I didn't know how to get over my impotence and fear. I was suddenly startled by a loud fierce roar that cut through my crying and shook the entire castle. The Shadow… It was getting closer, it was advancing: I could feel it in my gut, even in my bones. As my vision adjusted to the darkness, I watched on as more of that red organic matter covered the walls, staining them crimson. I couldn't believe my eyes. But that roar had made me recover my wits: I still had to get my revenge on Alexander. As my former self had told me, as _I_ had told myself, I had to kill him. With that, I dried my eyes and stood up on shaky legs. I started walking once more.

Another roar, worse than the last one. This time, though, it didn't scare me. I knew how to face it.

_Alexander… I'm coming for you._

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_A/N: Hm, I hope it wasn't too bad for a start. I'll let you guys decide (and YES, I know it's deucedly short xDD)._

_Reviews are appreciated!^^_


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